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California one of the largest agricultural states in the United States failed to pass a bill that would require labeling of genetically modified food. On Wednesday, the California Senate refused to pass Senate Bill 1281 by two votes in the 40 member chamber.

The bill authored by Senator Noreen Evans simply proposed that all distributors who sell food in the state to label their products if any of the ingredients were made with genetically-modified (GM) organisms. The bill would have excluded alcohol and food sold at farmers markets.

This week the Vermont Senate sent a message with its 26-2 vote approving a genetically modified (gm) food labeling bill. The bill would require that all foods that contain gm ingredients be labeled.

“We are saying people have a right to know what’s in their food,” emphasized Senate President Pro Tempore John Campbell, D-Windsor.

The next step is another vote in the Senate before the bill meanders back to the House. Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin has already specified that he is more than likely to sign the bill. Continue reading →

In the United States the majority of states in response to consumer demand have drafted some sort of legislation that addresses the genetically modified labeling issue. Connecticut was the first state in 2003, to approve legislation requiring labeling of genetically modified food. Maine approved legislation this year. But there is a twist to the labeling efforts in these states. The Maine law goes into effect when at least five contiguous states (including Maine) adopt similar legislation. The Connecticut law will take effect once a combination of Northeastern states with at least 20 million residents endorses similar legislation. In both cases, the trigger clauses are designed to protect the state from becoming the lone target in any lawsuit challenging the legislation.

In the year 2014, 67 GMO labeling bills have been introduced in 25 different states, with several legislative committees approving a GMO bill. They include California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Utah and Vermont. Other states with pending legislation include Missouri, Minnesota and Rhode Island. In Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii and Oregon efforts are underway to put the question on the ballot. Continue reading →

Senator Noreen Evans, from the Santa Rosa district, this week introduced a new bill to label genetically engineered food in the state of California. The bill is supported by 7 environmental, consumer groups, foods groups and small businesses called Californians for GE Food Labeling representing over 500,000 Californians.

The Center for Food Safety (CFS), one of the founding members of the coalition and a driving force behind the bill, released the following statement in support:

“California consumers want the right to know what is in the food they eat, plain and simple. As a founding member of Californians for GE Food Labeling and lead authors of the legislation, we are proud to see our state legislators introduce this important bill. The powerful and vocal demands of the food movement are being heard and acted upon,” said CFS west coast director Rebecca Spector. Continue reading →

The Grocery Manufacturers Association has already announced its intent to petition the FDA in 2014 to declare genetically modified organisms as natural. Now the association intends to join the political landscape and take the battle to a federal level advocating for an industry friendly voluntary federal standard. A move quite clearly designed to usurp individual State initiatives to implement mandatory labeling laws. The coalition behind the effort also includes the Snack Food Association, the American Frozen Food Institute and the American Bakers Association, as well as a number of other groups.

As reported by Politico the discussion draft of GMA’s proposed bill reviewed by POLITICO specifies that labeling standards would not be mandatory and the industry would submit to more FDA oversight. The purpose is to protect its members from state labeling efforts, which has been combated with a multi-million dollar campaign by gmo food producers to quash any labeling efforts, successful in Washington and California. Connecticut and Maine passed GMO-labeling mandates last year with strict trigger clauses. Continue reading →

The African Center for Biosafety (ACB) has analyzed most of the South African maize brands available to the average consumer and determined the devastating impact of genetically modified maize on the South African market. South Africa,(SA), is the only country that allows the cultivation of a genetically modified food staple that affects millions of consumers despite the potential for devastating environmental and health consequences.

The Food and Drug Administration, (FDA), in the United States has finally defined the type of characteristics contained in a “gluten free” label. Gluten refers to a protein that occur naturally in wheat, rye, barley, and varieties of these grains. Continue reading →